As usual, Chat did some digging to see what the critics and the Yahoo users think of the movie before we got there, and let's face it, we were a little concerned. The early reviews had the film at a C+ from the critics and B+ from the users.
I like to think I can get in the ballpark just by analyzing the movie clips and this one looked very promising (more on that in a future blog). There were explosions, sarcasm, and silliness from actors we have grown to love. Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker and Ernest Borgnine.
I don't know what the critics were smoking, This movie is an easy A. The characters are not new to each actor. Bruce plays a supper bad-ass hero who never flinches, even facing firepower that could topple nations. John Malkovich plays a crack pot who's views are as disturbing as they are accurate. Mary-Louise Parker is the beautiful yet attainable woman who you still like even though she is chronically attracted to toxic men. This is what I want to see on a Friday night, great actors playing their best roles. Karl Urban stood out playing toe to toe with everyone else. Sharing the screen with so many giants does not leave much time to shine, but when you look back at how he survived a crappy movie like DOOM (where his performance was actually good), to play Bones in Star Trek. He is on his way again. Richard Dryfuss' character Alexander was the weakest link in the story, but let's face it, this movie was all about the heroes not the villains.
I think we all left this movie, knowing it's easily going to make it into our Blue-ray collection in a few months.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
To get straight into it, Red is a solid B+. The user reviews were pretty spot on.
ReplyDeleteScots analysis of characters was also right on the money. Each actor was in a comfort zone, with the exception of Dryfuss, and it showed in his lackluster performance. Ernest Borgnine puts in a cameo of sorts as the old vault keeper, and his wit and experience pull off the real "That guy is still alive?" and movie magic "I wonder how he gets fed back there?" questions that pop into your head.
The comedy is well done, with a few unpredictable moments. Though most of the action and comedy is the usual fare, it has flare and doesn't take itself seriously. Willis does a bang up job as the bored out of his mind ex CIA operative, and has excellent chemistry with Mary-Louise Parker. Hellen Mirren is as sexy and sophisticated as her character, and she pulls off her characters history as an assasin for hire. The others fill in with predictable portrayals but the casting works.
All in all it was a good popcorn action flick worthy of the ticket price, and if you are a fan of that type of movie, would be a good addition to a DVD collection...but I would catch it on sale.